Tankwa Karoo National Park

Bordered on three sides by mountain ranges, the Tankwa Karoo National Park is known for being a largely arid region with an extensive bird population, vast escarpments, and some great, open space for hot, dusty 4-wheel drive adventures. Located a four-hour drive north from Cape Town, entrance into the dusty whirlwinds and creeping lizards of the Tankwa desert will be a strikingly different (and no less absorbing) proposition than a day walking the Cape. Do yourself one better and stay the night in one of a handful of camping locations or fully equipped accommodations; without the meddling of civilized lighting, the company of the stars is extraordinary.

Motorcycling and off-roading are the most exciting and revealing ways to see the park, whether you take the main routes of Leeuberg and Watervlei or jet up Gannaga Pass to see the world from atop the Roggeveld Escarpment. Then again, you could foot it to some incredible vistas like the Elandsberg viewpoint near the Elandsberg Wilderness camps. Whatever you choose to do, the appeal of Tankwa Karoo National Park is in the escape; there is no cell phone access and even the park itself is continuing to develop plans for management, meaning that tourists haven't really ever been a concern. Get there while that's still the case.

There is also a good hiking trail called Pointer's Trail, a 10km (6.2 mile) walk, and fossil trail for those interested in the creature remains that turn up in this part of the world. Visit the official site for more information.

Location:Namaqualand, South Africa

Note:Tankwa Karoo also the site of the popular Afrikaburn festival, the most significant alternative festival in South Africa.